Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electrosurgery. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting an abnormality within a circuit of an electrosurgical generator.
Description of Related Art
Electrosurgery involves the application of high-frequency electric current to treat, cut or modify biological tissue during a surgical procedure. Electrosurgery is performed using an electrosurgical generator, an active electrode, and a return electrode. The electrosurgical generator (also referred to as a power supply or waveform generator) generates an alternating current (AC), which is applied to tissue through the active electrode and is returned to the electrosurgical generator through the return electrode. The alternating current usually has a frequency above 100 kilohertz to avoid muscle and/or nerve stimulation.
During electrosurgery, the alternating current generated by the electrosurgical generator is conducted through tissue disposed between the active and return electrodes. The tissue's impedance converts the electrical energy (also referred to as electrosurgical energy) associated with the alternating current into heat, which causes the tissue temperature to rise. The electrosurgical generator controls the heating of the tissue by controlling the electric power (i.e., electrical energy per time) provided to the tissue. Although many other variables affect the total heating of the tissue, increased current density correlates to increased heating. Electrosurgical energy is typically used for cutting, dissecting, ablating, coagulating, and/or sealing tissue.
The two basic types of electrosurgery are monopolar and bipolar electrosurgery. Both types of electrosurgery use an “active” and a “return” electrode. In bipolar electrosurgery, the surgical instrument includes an active electrode and a return electrode on the same instrument or in very close proximity, usually causing current to flow through a smaller amount of tissue. In monopolar electrosurgery, the return electrode is located elsewhere on the patient's body and is typically not part of the electrosurgical instrument itself. In monopolar electrosurgery, the return electrode is part of a device usually referred to as a return pad.
Electrosurgical generators may perform various self-tests. Electrosurgical generators test internal and external components to determine if one or more abnormalities are present. Some of the self-tests that electrosurgical generators perform occur during startup and are typically referred to as power-on self-tests. Self-tests may also occur during operation of the electrosurgical generator, including during a surgical procedure. These tests facilitate safe, efficient and/or accurate operation of the electrosurgical generator.